Infant&#39;s bathing device



Oct. 11, 1955 B. H. KENNEDY INFANT'S BATHING DEVICE Filed Nov. 1, 1951 FIG. I

INVENTOR fimjamm AK Afvmea} ATTD R N EY United States Patent INFANTS BATHING DEVICE Benjamin H. Kennedy, Pittsford, N. Y.

Application November 1, 1951, Serial No. 254,414

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-177) This invention relates to infants bathing devices of the type having a tub on a supporting structure and a dressing table arranged to assume an operative position overlying the tub, and has for its object the provision of an improved safety strap in combination with the dressing table for such devices.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 101,295, filed June 25, 1949.

In accordance with my invention, I may use any suitable type of dressing table of the type that can be moved from an inoperative position alongside of the tub to an operative position overlying the tub. I prefer to use a table having a top of fabric or metal which is so yieldably supported that it forms a concave upper surface under the weight of the infant.

The improved safety strap of my invention may be an elastic band or web with rubber strands which is drawn over the top of the table and the free end fastened at the front of the table. The strap exerts a constant yieldable pressure on the infant, holding it securely in position. It is especially effective in holding the infant securely on a dressing table which assumes a depressed or concave surface.

In a preferred form of my invention, I provide a resilient or elastic safety strap or band attached below the table to a resilient member which normally draws the strap to an inoperative withdrawn position off the table top with the free end conveniently available at the back edge of the table. The top is therefore unobstructed and may be covered with a towel, or the like, without interfering with the strap. The free end of the strap has part of a fastening means which engages other fastening means on the front of the table, and when the strap is pulled across the table from its withdrawn position under the table and over the infant and the free end fastened to the table by the fastening means, the strap applies a constant pressure on the infant because of its elasticity. When the free end of the strap is released, it, of course, contracts and the resilient means draws the strap across the table to the rear with the major portion of the strap under the table. I may use a coil spring or rubber cord or the like suitably attached to the strap to pull it off the table when not in use.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood after considering the following discussion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a baby bath embodying my invention with the table in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view at 2--2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view from below the table at 3--3 of Fig. 2.

The improved baby bath of my invention comprises any suitable supporting structure such as the cross-legs 1, 2 and 3, 4 which are held together at the top by the longitudinal rails 5 and 6 which support the waterproof 2,719,983 Patented Oct. 11, 1955' flexible fabric tub 7. Infants bathing devices of the foldable cross-leg type are especially suitable for purposes of the invention.

The table 8 for supporting the infant comprises end arms 9 and 10 formed of springy steel and bent so as to have strong bow-like resilient properties. The ends of the bows are inserted into holes in the longitudinal rods 12 and 13 which extend in the lengthwise direction of the table, rod 12 being at the front and rod 13 at the rear. Members 9, 10, 12 and 13 comprise a supporting frame for the top, rods 12 and 13 being front and rear frame members, respectively. The arms accordingly not only hold the rods 12 and 13 in rigid spaced parallel relation but resiliently resist any effort to move them towards each other. As shown in Fig. 2, when the table is in its operative position over the tub, the arms rest on the front rail 6 and on the brackets 11 attached to the rear legs 3 and 4.

The table top 15 is formed of any suitable material such as fabric or thin metal. The top shown is a thin sheet of any suitable metal, such as aluminum, clad steel or stainless steel, with means along the longitudinal edges for engaging the rods 12 and 13 comprising cylindrically shaped side edges of the same diameter as the rods 12 and 13 and are simply slipped thereover. This construction provides a smooth, continuous and easily cleaned and sanitary connection with the longitudinal. rods. A table top of this type is described and claimed. in my application Serial No. 101,295, filed June 25, 1949. I prefer to fold the end edges 16 and 17 of the metal underneath to form rounded smooth edges.

The width of the metal top is so selected that, when it is placed in the position shown in Fig. 1, it is held in a taut state by the resilient character of the arms urging the rods 12 and 13 outwardly. When an infant is placed on the top, the metal is depressed and assumes a very definite convex shape, thereby aiding in maintaining the infant on the center of the top.

My improved safety strap for securing the infant on the table comprises a strap or band 20 formed of elastic fabric webbing, one end of which is permanently attached by nails 21 to the rear rod 13. The strap is looped through the bail 22 and passed around the outside edge of the metal top at the rear and through the keeper 23. The bail is attached to one end of a relatively long coil spring 24, one end of which is fixed to the front rail 12. The free end of the strap 25 has a grommet 26 to facilitate pulling it across the table and the ring portion 27 of a carriage top fastener. The other portion of the snap fastener 28 is attached, as by screws or the like, to the front rod 12 of the table.

In using the safety strap of the invention, it is merely necessary to grasp the free end and draw the strap across the infant to a point where it can be secured by the fastener, as shown in broken lines Figs. 1 and 2. When the fastener is uncoupled, the strap is pulled by the spring 24 to the rear to the position shown in full lines Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. In an infants bathing device having a supporting structure, a dressing table having front and rear rigid supporting members mounted on the supporting structure, the improvement which comprises a safety strap formed of elastic material having a free end with means for its removable attachment to the front supporting member of the table, said strap being looped over the rear supporting member of the table and the opposite end attached to the rear supporting member, said strap being passed through a bail underneath the table, a resilient member underneath the table one end of which is attached to the front supporting member of the table and the other to the bail, whereby the resilient member draws the strap 3 4 under the table when not in use, said elastic strap being References Cited in the file of this patent arranged to engage the infant snugly when the free end UNITED STATES PATENTS is attached at the front of the table.

2. A bathing device according to claim 1 which com- 279432 Raymond June 1883 prises a keeper on the rear :supporting member of the 5 1368582 Stevens 1921 table for the strap 'to slide through which also is a stop figgii it: is for the strap to hold the free end in an available positron 2,468,560 Kirkpatrick p 1949 tth a 2,480,915 George Sept. 6,1949 

